Pattern mechanism for knitting-machines.



No. 674,546. Patented May 2|, |90l.

F. WILCOMB.

PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

(Appliesion mea Aug. v, 1900.) (No Model.) v2 Sheets-Sheet I.

1H: Nonnxs PETERS co.. Novo-Limo.. wAsmNumN, n. c.

No. 674,546. Patented may 2|, 190|.

F. WILCU'MB.

PATTERN MEGHANISM FUR KNITTING MACHINES.

I (Applicston led Aug. 7, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets--She'et 2.

UNirnn STATES FRANK WILooMB, or NoRRIsToWN, 'PENNSYLVANIA'.

PATTERN NIECHANISIVI FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters :Fatent NQ. 674,546, dated May 21, 1901. Application filed August 7, 1900. Serial No. 26,159. (No model-.f

Fig. 3 is a plan view of transmitting connections. Fig. 4 is a side view looking from the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a View of a section on line A A of Fig. l looking in the same direction as in Fig. 4, frame parts being omitted. Fig. 6 is a section on line B B of Fig. l looking from the right. Figs. 7 and 8 are views of details.

In the drawings, a indicates the knittinghead of a knitting-machine. The various elements of the machine-such as the needlecams, the si n ker-cams, and the Web-holdersare controlled through suitable connectionssuch, for instance, as indicated at b, and consisting of rock-shafts, Which are operated through levers, such as c, Fig. 3. These levers are in turn operated through links d, pivotally connected with blocks e, fixed to rods f, arranged to slide in bearings formed in a bracket g, secured to the frame of the machine. The blocks e are guided in their movement by pins e', projecting from the bracket g. The rodsf are screwed intothe blocks e and may be adjusted through the blocks, and the set-screws e2 will hold the rods in any position to which they may be adjusted. The-rods are pressed normally one Way by springs h, bearing upon the blocks e, as shown in Fig. (i. rlhe ends of the rodsfare engaged by levers t, Figs. 2, 3, and 6, which are supported upon and have pivotal movement about an eccentric j, carried by a shaft 7c, journaled in the frame. The levers at their lower endscarry rollers l, which are acted on by cam-pieces m, carried by camwheels n. The cam-wheels are connected with the shaft o, which is journaled in the frame at p, and have rigidly fixed thereto a lsplined connection.

gear-Wheel q, through which the shaft and camwheels are driven. The gear-wheel meshes with a pinion r' on a short shaft s', which is journaled in the frame and in a bracket t, secured thereto. This short shaft is driven intermittingly through a pinion u thereon, adapted to mesh with a segment of a gear n, fixed to a shaft w, which is driven through a Worm-wheel uc thereon. The pinion u is carried by a sleeve 31, which has a splined connection with the short shaft s, this connection being formed by a pin z, fixed to a disk l, carried by the sleeve y, and passing through an opening in a disk 2, rigidly fixed to the shaft S. By reason of this construc- 'tion the sleeve can be shifted longitudinally of the short shaft to make the transmitting,- pinion u engage with or be disengaged from the driving segmental gear u. When the pinion and segmental gear are engaged, the short shaft s will be driven through the sleeve and When the parts are out of engagement, the cam-wheelsand the connections operated thereby will remain inactive, and in order to insure this effect I make the disk l serve as alocking means in connection with a disk 3 on the shaft w. The disk l has a segment of its periphery cut away at 1X, Fig. 5, on a curve, the radius of which is that of the disk 3, and when the gearing is out of mesh the disk 3 Will be in engagement with the cut-away portion of the disk l, and said disk, together with the pinion u, the short shaft s, and the pinion 1",the gear q, and the cani-Wheel, will be held locked against movement. When the pinion is to be thrown into engagement with the segment, the movements of the shifting connections, hereinafter described, are so timed that the pinion is shifted When the untoothed portion of the segmental gear is brought opposite the teeth of the pinion. The pinion is then shifted into line with the segment, and the teeth thereon in the continued revolution of the segment will engage the pinion. During this shifting of the pinion into mesh with the segment the pinion and the parts controlled thereby will be maintained in locked position by a segmental extension 4 of the locking-surface of the disk 3,Which comes around in line with the cut-away locking-surface of the disk l at the saine time the plain pe- IOO riphery of the segment comes opposite the teeth of the pinion, and thus the locking effect is continued during the shifting in of the pinion.

The segmental extension of the lockingdisk is coextensive circumferentially with the plain portion of the periphery of the segmental gear, and as soon as the first tooth of the segmental gear begins to mesh with the teeth of the pinion the end of the lockingsegmcnt leaves the cut-away part of the disk 1, thus unlockingthe'said disk with thepinion u and allowing the gear c, through the described connections,to rotate the cam-wheels to operate the connections leading to the parts to be controlled, and this movement goes on until the pinion is shifted out of connection with the segmental gear and the parts are locked, as before. The sleeve y is shifted longitudinally of the short shaft s to shift the pinion into and out of mesh with the segmental gear by means ofa rod 5, having a fork 6 connected therewith engaging the sleeve y. rThe rod extends across the machine and is operated bythe pattern mechanism, hereinafter-described. Itis connected with a bell-crank lever consisting of the arms 7 8 and the rock-shaft 9, journaled in bearings 1() of the main frame.

The arm 8 has a pin or roller entering a vnotch formed in a slide-bar 10, movable in a guideway 11 of the frame. This slide is reciprocated by means of pawl mechanism controlled by the pattern mechanism. A pin 12, projecting from slide-bar 10, is adapted to be engaged by pull and push pawls 13 14, respectively, engaging the pin 12 alternately. The pawls are connected pivotally with a lever 15, pivoted to the frame at 1G and oscillated by a pin 17, engaging a cam-groove 18 in a cam 19, fixed to the shaft w, before nrentioned, and rotating constantly therewith.

The pull and push pawls are controlled to engage the pin 12 alternately by means of arms 20, pivoted to the flame at 21 side by side. These arms have inclines or cam-surfaces 22 23, respectively, upon which pins 24 25, carried by the pull and push pawls 13 14, respectively, rest. The cam -arms are arranged to rest upon the periphery of the pattern-wheel, and so long as they are held up in the position shown in Figs. 4, 7, and S the pull and push pawls will not engage the pin 12, as the cams` or inclines 2223 will raise the pawls as they reciprocate, and thus prevent them from engaging the pin. 1f, however, either cam-arm is lowered, the pawl controlled thereby will be lowered into line with the pin 12, and the reciprocation of the pawl will cause it to engage the pin and operate the slide 10, which, through the connections described, will shift the pinion u either in or out of engagement with the driving-segment c, thus driving or stopping the cam-wheels, and thus controlling the connections leading to the parts of the machine to be operated.

The pattern-wheel consists of a ring 26, supported on enlargement 27 of' the shaft 23, which is journaled in a bearing 29 of the frame. This shaft is driven by a gear-wheel 30, fixed thereon and engaged by a pinion 3l,

journaled on a pin 32, supported in the frame. The pinion is driven from a ratchet-wheel 33, which is operated step by step through a pawl 34, carried by an arm 35, which is reciprocated constantly by an eccentric 36, carried by shaft w. This pawl-and-ratchet mechanism operates the pattern-wheel slowly step by step. The pattern-wheel has two series of pattern blocks 37 38, secured thereto by screws 39, one series being provided to con trol one cam-arm 2O and the other controlling the other cam-arm. These pattern-blocks support the cam-arms until a space, such as indicated at 40, Fig. 4, arrives adjacent to the finger 41' of the cam-arm 20. The pattern-wheel is then given a quick movement to bring the space directly below the finger, so that the same will fall therein. When the cam-arm falls, the pawl supported thereby will be brought into line with the pin 12 of the slide 10, and said slide, with the connections leading to the shifting pinion u, wiil be operated to change the pattern through the operation of the cam-wheels and the connections controlled thereby. In order t-o give this quick movement to the pattern-wheel, a pawl 41 is carried by the lever 15, before mentioned, and this engages teeth 42 on the pattern-wheel. vThe slow motion derived through the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism described brings one of the teeth 42 within the range of the pawl, and the quick movement is then given to the pattern-wheel.

The teeth 42 consist of screws having pins projecting therefrom. These screws can be disposed about the pattern-wheel in any relation desired, and they may be removed or replaced at will.

In order to allow the quick movement to be given as described, I connect the pattern-ring with its shaft by a friction device consisting, as shown in Fig. 1, of a leather disk 43, bearing on the face of the ring and supported on a stud 44 ofthe shaft. The pressure between the friction disk and ring is adjusted by the screws 44', and the pressure is such that the friction-ring will be turned during the quick movement by the pa'wl without moving the shaft of the pattern-wheel or the pawl and ratchet and parts connected therewith. The screws 44' pass directly through the leather washer and through a steel cover 44", and the leather washer is thus held from turning on its axis. These parts-pawl and ratchet-are placed under restraint by a friction device wh ich acts upon the ratchet-wheel 33. This consists of' a spring-piece 45, bearing on the ratchet-wheel and adjusted by the screwhead 46, the screw 32 of which forms the journal for the ratchet-wheel and the pinion 31, which connects with the ratchet by a sleeve 34. The friction at this point is stronger than that at the pattern-ring 26, and thus the IOO IIO

, openings to admit a screw-driver.

'pattern-ring can be turned without affecting l the ratchet-and-gear connection. The movement of the ratchet is regular. Referring again to the cam-wheel, it will be seen that it is of special construction, consisting of a plurality of rings connected together to move as one body by the screws 50. These rings have peripheral seats 49, adapted to receive the cam-blocks m, which may be disposed about the circumference ofthe several disks as may be desired. The cam-pieces are held in place by long screws 48, which pass through openings in the disks.

The sectional cam-wheel is connected to the shaft of the driving-gear through a sleeve 52, fixed to the cam-wheel by the screws 53, said sleeve being connected to the shaft by a pawl 54, engaging one of a series of notches on the shaft. The pawl is carried by a rod or pin 55 in a barrel on the sleeve. A spring forces the pawl into engagement with the shaft, and by pulling on the button 56 the pawl maybe withdrawn, s that the sleeve, together with the sectional cam-wheel, may be turned by the handle 57 to reset the cam-wheel to any desired p oint.

The cam-wheels are divided into sectors, and the end of the shaft has a corresponding number of notches (indicated at 54', Figs. l and 6) for the pawl, and when the patternwheel has been turned a distance equal to one or more of the sectors it may be reset by bringing the cam -wheel around to its startingpoint, as would be the case when a fabric has been partly knit and it is desired to start a new one without completing the other. It would not be practicable to disconnect the gear-driving connections, because of the liability of getting these out of time, and for this reason the cam-wheel can be disconnected from the shaft. The cam-wheel will be turned back a number of notches equal tothe nu mber of sectors the cam-wheel has been rotated forwardly. For holding the pawl out of engagement its stem is provided with a shoulder at 58 and when drawn back the stem is given a partial turn to make the shoulder engage the end of the barrel to thus sustain the stem in retracted posit-ion. In this resetting action the levers 1l are adjusted so that their rollers Z will not be struck by the cam-pieces, and for this purpose it is simply necessary to rotate the eccentric-supportj, before mentioned, to throw back the whole series of levers. This is done by a handle 6U on the shaft k. A spring-plunger 61, carried by the handle 60, serves to hold said handle in either position by engaging openings in the frame.

By the arrangement of the barsfside by side a compact structure is presented. Long springs may be employed, as shown, and all parts are readily accessible. The bars f are screw-threaded into the blocks e, as before stated, and may be adjusted, for which purpose the bonnet or cap 63 is provided with A coverl plate 65 incloses the upper side of the parts.

The various levers and link connections are accessible by simply removing this coverplate. In order to remove the cap or bonnet 63,' the handle or crank 57 must be removed, and for this purpose the sleeve 52 must be disconnected from the cam-wheel, which is done by loosening the screws 53, openings being provided at 66 in the casing for this purpose. The sleeve ts within the bore of the cam-wheel, which is of uniform diameter throughout. It extends only as far in as the third section of the wheel, and it fits about a reduced portion 66 of the shaft o. The other portion of the shaft is of the full diameter of the bore of the cam-wheel hub. By this construction the cam-wheel will be supported by the larger portion of the shat't in normal position when the handle and sleeve are removed to take o the bonnet.

In order to return the pattern-wheel to normal position, I provide a handle 67 thereon, by which it may be turned. until a stop-pin 68 on the pattern Wheel strikes against a stop-lever 69, pivoted on the frame, as shown in Fig. 4. This determines the correct starting-point of the pattern-wheel. The lever 69 when up in the position-shown to be engaged by t-he stop-pin has its end directly beneath the arm 70 of the lever 15, and the first movement of the lever to operate the pawl 4l into engaging position will cause the depression of the arm 70, and consequently .the lever 69 will be thrown down out of the path of the pin 68, so that the pattern-wheel is now free to rotate. The lever 69 will now remain down until the pattern-wheel is to be again set at the starting-point, when it is lifted by hand.

It will be seen from the foregoing and from the drawings that mypattern mechanism comprises a cam-wheel arrangement, a patternwheel, and connections leading therefrom to thecam-wheel.` Thiscam-wheel arrangement. I locate at one side and below the knittinghead, while the pattern devices are located below the knitting-head at the other side of the machine, and the connections extend across the space between the cam-wheel arrangement andthe pattern mechanism. This provides a machine of symmetrical form and one in which all the parts are readily accessible.

I claim as my inventionl. In combination with a knitting-head, connections leading to the parts to be controlled, a cam-wheel located below one sideof the knitting-head, a pattern mechanism located below the other side of the knittinghead, and connections extending below the knitting-head across the space between the cam-wheel and the pattern mechanism, said connections including shitting gearing and means operated by the pattern mechanism` for controlling said shifting gearing, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the knitting-head, a cam-wheel with connections to be controlled IOO IIO

thereby, a pattern mechanism, a drivingshaft for the pattern mechanism, shifting gearing forming a driving connection between the driving-shaft and the cam-wheel, and means operated by the pattern mechanism for controlling said shifting gearing, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a knitting-head, a cam-wheel, connections controlled thereby, a pattern mechanism,"said cam-wheel and pattern mechanism being located at opposite sides of the knitting-head, a driving-shaft w for the pattern mechanism extending between the same and the cam-wheel, a driving-gear on said shaft, a shifting gear having connection with the cam-wheel to operate the same,"

and means for operating theshifting gear, said means being controlled by the pattern mechanism, substantially as described.

4. In combination, a cam-wheel, a pattern mechanism, a driving-shaft f or the pattern mechanism, a driving-gear thereon, a shifting pinion, connections between the same and the cam-wheel, means for shifting the pinion controlled by the pattern mechanism, and locking-disks one of which shifts and rotates with the pinionand the other of which rotates with the driving-gear, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the cam-wheel with connections operated thereby, a pattern mechanism, a driving-shaft for the pattern mechanism, a shifting driving-gearing between the driving-shaft and the cam-wheel, means for operating the shifting gearing controlled by the pattern mechanism, means connected with the pattern mechanism and drivingshaft for imparting slow movement to the pattern mechanism and a connection between said driving-shaft and pattern mechanism for giving the same a quick movement, substantially as described.

6. In combination with pattern mechanism, transmitting connections comprising a series of plungers arranged side by side, links connected with said plungers, and extending parallel therewith, levers connected with the links, and extending in a transverse direction to the plungers and in a plane parallel to the plane of the plungers and means for operating the plungers controlled bythe pattern mechanism, said plungers being pressed in one direction by springs, substantially as described.

7. In combination with pattern mechanism, a series of plungers arranged side by side, connections leading from said plungers including the links with the blocks between the same and the plunger and means whereby the plungers may be adjusted through the said blocks, substantially as described.

8. In combination, a series of plungers, connections leading therefrom, a series of levers for operating the plungers, a cam-wheel for operating vthe levers, and a fulcrum for the levers comprising an eccentric with means for adjusting the same whereby the levers may be thrown out of engagement with the camwheel to allow the latter to be reset, substantially as described.

9. In combination, connections leading to the parts to be controlled, a cam-wheel for operating said connections, a shaft supporting the cam-wheel, means for driving the shaft and a detachable connection between the shaft and cam-wheel whereby the cam-wheel may be reset, the said connections being adjustable in relation to the cam to allow the same to be reset, substantially as described.

l0. In combination, connections leading to the parts to be controlled, a cam-wheel, a shaft supporting the cam-wheel, said shaft having a series of notches and a detachable connection between the shaft and cam-wheel comprising a pawl carried by the cam-Wheel and adapted to engage the notches of theV shaft, substantially as described.

ll. In combination, the cam-wheel,connec tions operated thereby, a shaft supporting the cam-wheel, a sleeve connected with the camwheel and surrounding the shaft, a detachable connection between the sleeve and shaft and means for driving the shaft, the said camwheel being formed of sections adjustable on the sleeve, substantially as described.

12. In combination, a cam-wheel, connections controlled thereby, a shaft having a reduced portion, a sleeve fitting the reduced portion of the shaft, and connected removably with the cam-wheel, a detachable connection between the sleeve and the shaft comprising the pawl and the notch in the shaft, the handle carrying the pawl and the removable bonnet for inclosing the parts, the said cam-Wheel being supported by the shaft portion of full diameter, substantially as described.

I3. In combination, the cam-wheel, a gear q connected therewith, a shaft s, a pinion fr, meshing with the gear q, a driving-shaft w, gearing between the shafts w and s, one member of said gearing being adapted to shift into and out of connection with the other, lockingdisks carried by the gear parts, pattern mechanism and means controlled by the pattern mechanism for operating the shiftinggear member, substantially as described.

14. In combination, the pattern-wheel, the shaft carrying the same having a frictional connection with the pattern-wheel, a drivingshaft, means between said driving-shaft and pattern-Wheel shaft for giving the samea slow movement, a constantly-operating pawl and a connection between the same and the driving-shaft for operating said pawl to give the pattern-Wheel a quick movement, substantially as described.

15. In combination, `the pattern-wheel, its

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shaft, a friction connection between the shaft and pattern-wheel, the gearing'for operating the shaft, pawl-and-ratchet mechanism for operating the gearing, a driving-shaft for operating the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism and a pawl for giving the pattern-wheel a quick movement with means for driving said pawl from the driving-shaft, substantially as described. p

16. In combination,the pattern-wheel shaft, the pattern-wheel arranged loosely thereon, a friction-disk adjustably secured on the end of the shaft and bearing on the pattern-wheel, means for giving the pattern-Wheel a slow movement through its shaft and means for giving the pattern-wheel a quick movement independently of its shaft, substantially as described.

1'7. In combination, the pattern wheel, means for giving the pattern-wheel a slow movement, and means for giving the patternwheel a quick movement comprising a pawl and teeth composed of screws removably secured in the pattern-wheel and having pins projecting therefrom, .substantially as described.

18. In combination, the pattern-wheel having pattern-teeth arranged around its periphery,constantly-operating push and pull pawls with means for operating the same, a reciproeating slide to be operated by said pawls in opposite directions and cam arms resting npon the teeth of the pattern-wheel and controllingthe action of the said pawls, substantially as described.

19. In combination, the pattern-wheel, a slide, push and pull pawls to operate the slide, said push and pull pawls having pins, a pair of cam-arms having cam-surfaces one for each of the pins, said cam-arms being controlled by the pattern-wheel, a lever for reciprocating the pawls, means for giving` the pattern-wheel a slow movement and a constantly-operated pawl carried by the leverfor giving the pattern-wheel a quick movement, substantially as described.

20. In combination, a pattern-Wheel, a slide,

pawl mechanism for operating the slide controlled by the pattern-wheel, a bell-crank lever operated by the slide, a shifting driving connection operated by the bell-crank lever, a cam-wheel controlled by the shifting driving connections and connections leading from the cam-wheel, substantially as described.

2l. In combination, the cam-wheel, a series of plungers arranged horizontally side by side and extending across the upper periphery of the same,bearings in which the plungers slide, the vertically-arrangedlevers for operating the plungers,links connected with the plunger and extending horizontally thereon and the horizontally-extending levers operated by the links, substantially as described.

22. In combination, the pattern-wheel, the friction connection between the same and its shaft, means for giving the pattern-wheel a quick movement, connections for giving the pattern-wheel a slow movement, and .a friction device in said connection, substantially as described.

23. In combination with pattern mechanism, a`se ries of plungers arranged side by side, connections leading from said plungers, said plungers being screwed into said connections and being adjustable by turning, substantially as described.

24. In combination, the cam wheel, the plungers, the connections leading from the plungers, the levers between the plungers and cam-wheel, said plungers being disconnected from the levers but adjustable toward and from the same, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK WILCOMB.

Witnesses:

F. B. WILDMAN, OLGA M. RAKERD. 

